Good morning, Milady, my name is Barisone III of Arborea. I'm the Hochmeister of the Italian Teutonic Order, i'm still Ambassador of the Dukedom of Modena, and I am here to have the honour to be Imperial Ambassador.

I am pleased to make your acquaintance Hochmeister. The Imperial Chancellor is currently in meeting with another candidate, so I will meet you. Please, let's discuss more quietly into to a meeting room.

Aliénor leads him in one of the a small and comfortable meeting room close to the Great Hall, the young Vice-Chancellor showed him chairs near the fireplace and a servant approched to offer refreshment to the guest. With a smile, she started the interview.

The Imperial Chancellor has shared your letter with me and it is very interesting. I am pleased that you are able to make the travel very fast after his answer. We have received several candidacies which is very good for imperial services as well. May I inquire what motivated you to submit your application? I would also like to know more about your experience as a diplomat.

Several years ago I was ducal ambassador at different lands such as Switzerland, Holland, Milano... Since I became Hochmeister of the Teutonic Order I had to take care to maintain good relations with several people. This has increased my interest in diplomacy. Recently I resumed my career as an Ambassador. There are a large number of reasons why I have developed an interest in diplomacy. I believe I can be a valid and reliable collaborator for His Highness the Emperor.

Very well. I would like to show you the Statute of the Imperial Chancellery especially the duties of an Ambassador so you know what is expected as well as the requirements because you need to confirm that you meet them. We will also ask you to bring a proof of baptism. Please read and let me know if you have any questions.

Hands him a parchment to read.

Quote :

Statute of the Imperial Chancellery

Preamble

The Imperial Chancellery is an institution governed by its own Constitution.

The Imperial Chancellery is an institution serving the Sacrum Romanorum Imperium Nationis Germanicae and the Emperor.

The Imperial Chancellery is not able to take a decision, decree, or order without the Emperor agreement.

Article I: About the role of the Imperial Chancellery

The Imperial Chancellery is in charge of the relations with foreign Kingdoms and their institutions. It represents the interests of the Empire and ensures the respect of its integrity by foreign powers.

The Imperial Chancellery manages imperial diplomacy.

The Imperial Chancellery is working closely with provincial and royal chancelleries of the Empire.

The Imperial Chancellery is the institution initiating negotiations with a foreign Realm.

The Imperial Chancellery is led by the Imperial Chancellor, who is appointed by the Emperor.

The Imperial Chancellor can appoint up to three Vice-Chancellors who will help him in his duty of management of the Imperial Chancellery.

The Imperial Ambassadors are intermediaries between the Imperial Chancellor and the entrusted Realm.

Article III: About the admission of ambassadorsThe ambassadors are admitted by the Chancellor after he has considered the candidacy. The following requirements must be met:

Live in the Sacrum Romanorum Imperium Nationis Germanicae;

Be Aristotelians and be baptized;

Have no criminal records;

Do not belong to any foreign organizations or any criminal ones;

Understand and speak English;

Must not have any role that might interfere with their work as ambassador.

Article IV / About the permissions and obligations of members of the Chancellery

IV a) Permissions:

Can assume other imperial or provincial mandates as long as that do not interfere with their work as ambassador, after the Chancellor's consensus;

The Imperial Chancellery encourages the ambassadors to meet their counterparts in their foreign countries. This will be possible as long as the imperial ambassadors maintain their work for the Empire, their duty as a vassal and keep their home in the Empire.

IV b) Obligations:

A member of the Chancellery must be present and active in the Chancellery;

No information exchanged within the Chancellery should be disclosed;

An oath to the Empire and the Emperor will be given by each arriving member, and then, to each new Emperor;

Members of the Chancellery must show themselves worthy of their rank and of the trust that the Emperor has placed in them;

Every member must obey the orders given by the Chancellor.

Article V: About the meeting with the provincial and royal Chancellors

To make sure that the imperial diplomacy will be united and will respond to the provincial expectations, the Hall of Charlemagne will be available for meeting with the provincial and royal Chancellors, the provinces of the German Kingdom being represented by their Royal Chancellor.

Each Chancellor is free to participate.

This meeting will be led by the Imperial Chancellor, who will ask the advises of the other Chancellors on several subjects.

Once the formalities of the role and condition of an Imperial Ambassador done, Aliénor took the copy of the certificate of baptism, looked at it, kindly noded and continued.

His Eminence Samuele baptized me too. That part is in order. I am glad that you are at ease with the parchment I have shown you. According to you, what would be the main difference between the role of a provincial ambassador and an imperial ambassador? Are you at ease when your foreign counterpart is slow or non-responding? Also, how would you qualify your proficiency in each language you speak?

Aliénor knew it was a lot of questions at once and listened carefully.

Difficult questions require a long time to formulate correct answers. The difference in the work of an Imperial Ambassador and a "Local" Ambassador lies in the complexity of the topics addressed. The agreements between the Empire and the other kingdoms involve the confrontation of 1000 different facets. Every Imperial decision takes into account the needs of each "local" reality and must represent all the popular wills in the same way that a "Local" Prince must take into account the needs of each controlled city.

Diplomacy is a delicate art, if the requests represented by the Ambassador are not answered, the knowledge of the interlocutor is fundamental. In any case, I consider essential a polite as firm reminder considering the requests of the Empire of higher priority compared to those of the counterparts.

As you have seen I speak an understandable English, in addition to this and Italian, my mother tongue, I write and read in French and Spanish too.

Indeed, this is exact. You will also notice that we speak at the Kingdom level and not provinces unless the diplomacy is non existing at that level. Our actions and decisions have big impacts and we need to see the interractions with other realms before we act.

Regarding the language, it is mostly to help us identify an embassy for our candidates. You said you speak also French and Spanish in addition of English and Italian. How would you qualify your proficiency in the first two? Pouvez-vous me dire comment vous avez appris à parler français ? Desde cuántos años tiene usted habla español ?

And last, before I make my report to the Chancellor, may I inquire if there are embassies that you would not like to be assigned to or the opposite, that you would have a special interest in? You must know that most are embassies have already Ambassadors and it is possible that, if we take you, you may not have your wish agreed upon but it will help us. As well, do you have any questions you would like to ask me?

I would have prefererred that you would have answered me for each question in French and in Spanish but maybe I wasn't clear when asking so.

Regarding Rome, we do not have an embassy because it's the role of the Religious Advisor from the Imperial Council do ensure this important role with the Holy Aristotelian Roman and Universal Church. I will discuss with the Imperial Chancellor and come back, please wait.

I don't know for that but that might become useful to use both Spanish and English, you can always check with your counterpart, which he prefers. I will ask you to wait a little while I get your office ready and the Chancellor prepares your key. I will come back when all is prepared and show you your new office.